In general, the present invention tackles the problem of the removal of straps from articles which are strapped together and has been developed with particular attention to its possible use for the removal of straps from stacks of signatures and similar products (papers, magazines, etc.) in the printing and publishing industry. In this field of application, the products discharged from printing and folding lines are currently collected in stacks of superposed products which are bound together in their direction of stacking by straps, usually with two rigid boards positioned so as to protect the two ends of the stack. This is all with a view to storage (and possible transportation) as piles of stacks collected on pallets.
For subsequent handling of the products (for example, binding, bookbinding, etc.) it is necessary to remove the straps and the two end retaining boards.
Conventionally, this operation is carried out manually after the stacks have been placed on a conveyor which supplies them to the subsequent handling station. The fact that this operation is carried out manually makes it quite demanding and onerous, particularly in large printing and publishing plants where the production volumes may require the employment of a considerable number of personnel, and especially if the plant operates a continuous cycle with several shifts.